The Meridian Southern Railway’s road train slowly rolls through the woods just south of De Soto, MS, as they make the trek south to Waynesboro, MS. The train is powered by a matching pair of former Santa Fe GE B23-7s, with nine grain hoppers and six empty center beams in tow. MDS 4228 was built for Santa Fe Railway in 1979 as ATSF 6371, and MDS 4270 in 1985 as ATSF 6413. Both units would be renumbered by BNSF to their current numbers after the merger. The pair found themselves in shortline service around 2007ish, first on the Nashville & Eastern, then the Meridian Southern since around 2015ish to present. There are very few places left where one can find such relics still in operation and in such good condition, definitely making the MDS a gold mine for a railfan.
